My insanity
by Lenanurazia
Summary: Kagome goes home only to find her family telling her it's time she let these fantasies go/ saying inuyasha isn't real and it all has been in her mind. They wind up locking her away in a mental ward. Inuyasha comes to get her where the family proceed to yell at him-he is not welcome. Kagome never wants to see him again-or so they say
1. Chapter 1 Fear

**Chapter one: Fear**

"Kagome"

A soft whisper swept through the darkness. A voice all too familiar to one's beating heart. Her eyes danced swiftly, trying to hunt down the one who it belonged to. The trees rustled all around, covering up any form that may hide in their shadows. It was a starless night. Dark clouds hanging low, giving off a loud rumble in its wake. Storms were approaching rather hastily, telling everyone that they needed to seek out shelter immediately.

She had long forgotten how far she ran from the demon. All she knew now was that she was alone.

No one even knew that she had returned to this world, for it was a split second after she stepped out of the well when the monster had attacked. Not knowing what to do, she jumped to the side, barely managing to avoid its deathly blow. There was no time to act and there was no chance she would be able to handle this one on her own. 'Run!' She told herself and immediately took off in the opposite direction, while desperately dodging left and right. 'I have to hide! But where?...'

Kagome, as fast as she was, was not fast enough to out run this beast. There were only so many times she could keep this up before she completely ran out of stamina. Running was one thing, but having to constantly jump out of the way and get back up only to do it all again, was another. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the ground collapsed all around. Dragging both her and the creature down into the depths below.

Pain, shortly followed by small gasps of air had emerged. She had landed hard on her side, making her feel like a fish out of water as she struggled to take in oxygen. Layers of dirt and rocks had fallen on top of her, completely hiding her small, petite body from the demon that now stood unharmed by the sudden impact.

The demon was approximately ten feet tall. It had four arms. All embedded with an armor of spikes that glistened with a fiery ember that arose from the outside of its flesh. On top of his head were horns that curved together to form a crown, which to Kagome looked as though she had ran into the devil himself. Diablo, she had named him, for He was most definitely death incarnate.

'I can't move!' The weight of all the dirt that lay on top of her was too much. All she could do was lay there silent, as she awaited what was to come. A clawed hand bigger than her torso reached through the pile of dust and retrieved her, only to throw her with such force into the next wall. A loud snap could be heard followed by a grunt of pain. Something had broken inside the miko, paralyzing her completely. There were no thoughts, just pain and fear.

However, Kagome refused to walk with death any longer. She closed her eyes and with what little energy she had left, willed a powerful blow to immense out from her body. A bright red light could be seen from all around as she blasted Diablo with her spiritual energy, causing him to dissipate in a matter of seconds. The hard part was over, or so she thought.

* * *

Inuyasha sat outside of Kaede's hut watching the morning light rise. He was the only one up at the time. It had been a long night previously. Kagome had crossed over to her side of the well after a mild argument had occurred between the two. It seemed they had been fighting a lot more than necessary and yesterday was the last straw. During the middle of the argument, Kagome took a deep breath and instead of yelling and telling him to sit repeatedly, she took in a deep breath and told him rather calmly, that she was going to give him his much needed space. Until they could talk in a peaceful manner, she would not be back. Of course he protested, telling her to stop being stupid and work things out with him, but she just smiled and softly spoke those dreaded words "Farewell Inuyasha." With that she ran off leaving a confused hanyou behind.

'I'm sorry Kagome.' It was his fault that she left. She had insisted that they stay and take a break in the village before going off after the shards. She kept telling him that something felt wrong and she felt that she needed to be there, but his stubbornness got the better of him. He told her to stop being so useless countless of times that day, hurting her feelings in more than one way. Finally she had enough and quietly walked away from him. He couldn't take it back now, and his pride wouldn't let him follow her to make it up to her, so he was stuck there with a very unhappy group and his thoughts.

The sunrise was always something he loved to share with the Miko. Something that he never did with his first love, Kikyo. Sure, she was the first woman to show him a world where he felt needed-where he felt wanted, but Kagome accepted him for who he was. Even on the days that he put her down, she would always be right there, to help him-and to be there for him through thick and thin.

"Inuyasha," came a sleepy voice "You're thinking about her, aren't you?" Miroku, the wise one of the bunch. He always knew too much about a situation before anyone ever said a word.

"I don't know why I do it Miroku. I know I messed up this time. You should have seen her eyes as she left."

The monk gave a small nod to show that he understood. "Give her time Inuyasha. She'll come around."'Even though we both know that she shouldn't' A small thought went through the monks mind,but he would never say such a hurtful thing. Not unless it was necessary.

The others could be heard stirring in their slumbers. They were rising to see what the day had in store for them. The place was so quiet with Kagome away and they all knew who to blame for her absence. Inuyasha could feel their eyes pierce daggers into his back. Finally he snapped. "Do You MIND?! I know I messed up, okay! I don't need you to remind me every time I walk by!"

"Then go get her?!" Spoke the young fox demon. He needed his sweet Kagome. She was so caring to him, like a mother and also a best friend. She took him in even though it was against the half demons will. He was alone in this world until she came along.

"I agree with Shippo, Inuyasha."

"Not you too Sango!"

She looked at him with disapproving eyes. "Kagome does her best to provide what she can for this group and you take advantage of that fact, Inuyasha. She may not be strong like you and me, but she is strong in ways that we can't even began to compare with. She gets her heart broken on nearly a daily basis by you, but she still stays by your side and puts on a smile to make you happy." Inuyasha couldn't deny that the truth hurt but what was he to do about it? She didn't want to see him and she was tired of the fighting. He couldn't ask her to come back to him now. It was asking too much. "I'm going for a walk. Don't come looking for me any time soon." And with that, Inuyasha took off to sit by the river.

Sango turned her attention towards the monk and the little kitsune, in hopes she hadn't said anything too out of line. "Was I too harsh on him?" Miroku walked over to place a hand on her shoulder. "Sango, what you said, as harsh as it may have been, were words that he needed to hear. Without feeling that guilt, he will never acknowledge that he did anything too major to Kagome and will proceed to go on without a second thought." Sango took in his words, realizing that what he said was true. The Monk was a really good guy if only -

"PERVERT!" *Smack

A big hand print could be seen across his facial features. When would he learn that just because she lets her guard down for a split second doesn't mean it was an invitation for him to fondle her backside.

Hours had passed by and the sky began to darken. Storms were on their way in. Inuyasha loved the rain but he didn't particularly enjoy what came with it. Storms were always hard on the hanyou. It weakened his sense of smell, allowing him to be vulnerable to whatever chaos was to ensue. At least he didn't have to worry about Kagome. She was in the safest place she could be at a time like this. At home, away from hoards of demons and away from the dangers of Naraku.

The wind started to pick up rather hard. He really should get back to the group just in case something were to happen. Lightning struck a tree not too far from him, temporarily deafening his ears. 'That was too close for comfort' He said silently in his head, taking that as his Que to head back.

The rain began as a small drizzle and then picked up to a complete downpour, flooding the area around. Not even ten minutes had passed by and the water on the ground already reached to top of Inuyasha's ankle. It was a cold day. When the wind blew, it felt as though jack-frost had come to the village with a vengeance. It was a good thing that he had the robe of the fire rat. It may have been thin, but it did its job. Not only did it protect him from harm, but it kept his temperature at a decent level.

The villagers had been rushing to get into their homes when he past them by. Some grabbing piles of firewood before proceeding inside. From a nearby distance, he over heard the monk and Sango. They had been out in this weather to assist some of the elderly, making sure they were set before retreating back to the safety of Kaede's home. His friends had such a great heart. He admired them for it. Not everyone would be willing to put their neck on the line to help another in need.

It wasn't long after that Inuyasha busted through the opening of the door. Water poured off of his body and he let out a shiver. "You guys alright?" He proceeded to ask before making his way to the bonfire in the middle of the room. "Aye, we are Inuyasha. Thank you." The old woman looked at him with her one good eye to let him know that she appreciated his concern. "It looks as though we are stuck here for a while though. The storm doesn't look like it will end any time soon."

"It's a good thing Kagome didn't come back. She wouldn't be able to find the village with how bad it's gotten outside." Said the little kitsune as he tried to see outside the flap that covered the door. It was so dark and so windy that you couldn't make out what was in front of you from 5 feet away.

"Get away from the door Shippo. You're letting out the warmth." Inuyasha barked. More annoyed at the fact that he mentioned the fact that Kagome had yet to return to him. Something was bugging him though. The thought that she managed to come back through the well and being trapped in this bothered him. What if she had? What if she was lost and cold, trying to find her way back to her friends? Should he go look for her?

"No." Miroku's voice broke through his thoughts. " If you went now, you would only endanger yourself. You couldn't track her down with her scent because its been washed away. Not only that, but did you not hear Shippo? You can't see to even figure out what direction you are going. Relax and wait for the storm to die down some." There was no use in arguing with the monk. He made valid points but all his canine senses were going off, telling him something was wrong.

'Kagome. Please be safe'

Shippo curled up by the fire. A sad, worried expression lay upon his face. Whatever thoughts passed through the young boys mind was also on every one else's as well. There wasn't much talking between the individuals, Just a few questions here and there followed by the simplest answer one could come up with. Sango had kept herself busy as she passed around a few fleece blankets that Kagome had generously given to them. She was always such a caring girl.

'Hey Shippo" Shippo raised his green eyes to face a smiling Sango. She was holding something behind her back, peaking his curiosity. "What's up, Sango?" She reached a slender hand in his direction, beckoning for him to follow her.

"How have your gaming skills been lately?" She asked, pulling out a small box of cards as she took a seat over by one of the corners of the hut.

"You know I'm the best" He let out a cheerful laugh. "What are we going to play?"

"Well Shippo, Do you remember that game Kagome taught us, where we ask each other if they have a certain card and you either say yes or Go fish?"

Shippo's tail began to wag a little bit. He was so small and cute and so innocent. It was true that he was a full fledged demon, but with him being so young, he wouldn't make it very far in the world by himself. Sango was aware of this, so when Kagome was away, she did her best to comfort him just as Kagome would. Of course, Kagome was more motherly to the young kitsune, but Sango was like a sister to him. A sister and a friend.

"Your'e going down Shippo!" Sango said, Doing her best to keep his mind off of the storm.

"Not if I can help it!" Miroku cut in, taking a seat beside his friends, "Mind if I join?" With the smile placed upon his face, no one with a heart could tell him no. There was always that charm that he had. It was always intoxicating to the demon slayer, but she would never allow him to know that.

"Kaede, do you care to join?" Again, that charming smile of his allowed him to have his way as the old woman started to make her way over to them.

"It's not every day we get to do this" The group nodded in unison.

"We couldn't agree more, my lovely Sango." Before Miroku could ruin the mood with his lecherous hand, Sango quickly passed the deck over to him. "You shuffle!" She said, giving him a 'Don't even think about it' look.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha watched from the sideline. As wonderful of a time it would be to play cards with his friends, his demon senses would not allow him to let his guard down. He didn't know what it was, but it made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. His hand gripped tightly around Tessaiga. Just as he did, a loud crash was heard in a far off distance. Almost as though it was coming from the bone eaters well.

Everyone heard this and quickly stood up, abruptly putting their game to a halt. Shippo looked around and began to ask a question but immediately stopped himself for the fact that he already knew the answer. Everyone knew the sound wasn't the cause of the weather at hand. The fact of the matter was that it did come from the direction of the well. Was Kagome back? Had something happened? Had Naraku found out about her time travelling and put a stop to it? There were too many questions that needed to be answered.

"I'm going!" Inuyasha stated, daring anyone to try to stop him.

"We'll come with you! Miroku, hand me the hiraikotsu!" He immediately grabbed the demon forged boomerang and tossed it to her, grabbing his staff at the same time before running over to Inuyasha.

"SHIPPO! Stay!" Sango yelled, before pulling open the flap to the door and chasing after the two men that had gone before her.

The rain had not stopped and the wind had been just as powerful as before. It had already turned night, making it even harder to make out where they were going. Even if they were to get separated, they had the same destination and fortunately for everyone, they were fully capable of taking care of themselves.

Inuyasha was in the front, taking point, while Miroku was just a few feet behind him. Sango stayed in the back, cautiously looking around to make sure there were no surprise attacks headed their way. Suddenly, everyone stopped to shield their eyes from the massive red light that exploded from the forest. The ground shook underneath them, threatening to give way. "Sango!" Miroku called behind him, reaching out to take her by the hand. " We have to get away"

"Where's Inuyasha?!"Miroku tried to look past the red beams to make out his comrade, but to no avail. Inuyasha was already long gone.

'Damn it! What the hell is going on?' Inuyasha was running, trying to find the source of the light. Whatever it was made his body feel uneasy. It was spiritual energy that had been set loose in the forest, purifying anyone and anything that had been near. Fortunately for him, it only lasted a few seconds before fading away.

The rain hadn't stopped but the wind did, making his journey a little bit easier. Finally he found himself in front of the bone eaters well. Trees had broken off and fallen to ground. There were large craters in the ground that all led in one direction. Inuyasha stopped and observed his surroundings, taking note of every little dent and cranny that could be seen. The well itself was only partly damaged. Half of the wood that was once in tact had been smashed into little pieces, making a small barricade, preventing anyone from coming and going from this world to the next.

"INUYASHA!"

Inuyasha turned to look at his two friends, grateful that they had made it.

"what the-" Sango felt herself filled with worry. She didn't know how to take the sight before her. But before she could finish, Inuyasha cut her off.

"There was obviously an attack of some sort. I Don't know what from, or what they were after, but it wouldn't be wise for us to ignore this." He pointed to well. "The well is sealed which means there will be no passing through time at the current moment. Whatever happened here was an obvious attack towards Kagome. For whatever reason, we need to find out why."

Inuyasha felt a shiver run through his body. Though it was freezing out there in the rain, the shiver did not come from that. It was fear. Fear that something terrible had happened to Kagome. Fear that he might not actually get to make amends with the young Miko. And fear that he would find her a moment too late. The clock was ticking.

* * *

Meanwhile, down in a dark hole lay a young girl, currently unable to move. Her body was badly injured. Undoubtedly, she had a few broken bones here and there. She had deep gashes that were all over her body. There was an endless amount of blood that trickled from her head and down her back. With the fall and then being thrown into the wall she now leaned against, she was surprised that she was even alive. She remembered being so scared when the demon Diablo started walking towards her to make the final blow. She remembered closing her eyes and feeling hatred towards this demon. She wasn't ready to die just yet. She had things to do and she was determined that it was not her that would die this day.

A warm feeling had risen from the inside of her chest. It felt like liquid fire burning the inside of her soul. 'The pain' She thought to herself. 'It's too much!' And then all at once, she felt something escape from her body. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH" She screamed a blood gurgling cry of pain while opening her eyes to see this red light radiating off of her, followed by a force that caused the demon to literally melt into nothing.

Kagome couldn't comprehend what had happened. She knew it was her doing that the demon no longer appeared before her, but she didn't know _What_ she had done or more so _how_ she had done it.'That feeling' Kagome raised her hand to her heart, trying to sooth the pain away. Kagome sat in silence, watching the rain fill the hole that she was in. It was already to her waist.

'This is nice' She thought to herself 'after all that, I'm going to drown. If that doesn't kill me then the cold will...'

Kagome tried to force herself on her feet. It took a couple of tries but she finally managed. She looked up at sky, making her feel more like a caged bird than she already did. She had fallen further down than she realized. The opening was way out of her reach and she didn't have a way to climb out unless...

An idea came to her. The walls were made of thick soil, but since it had been raining so hard, she might actually be able to make indention's with her hands and climb her way to the top.

"Here's to nothing" She said to no one in particular. Her bruised hand reached up to grab hold of the mud, making her way out of the watery hell she was in. "That's it. A little more."

It took a lot of effort to pull herself on top of the land. She had to bite back the pain with each movement she made. She thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't slipped and fallen back down to the pit below. The water was much higher now which would have softened her landing, but she didn't think she could keep herself from drowning with being in her current condition.

'Get up Kagome' she told herself. As much as she wanted to rest for a minute, she knew she couldn't. She was still bleeding out and was in dire need of medical attention. 'If only I hadn't have dropped my bag while running.' Somewhere in between dodging and running, she felt her backpack slide off her shoulders. She didn't know how far back she had to go to locate it because she had ran for what seemed like an eternity. When the ground had gave way, it was both a curse and a blessing on her part. The demon had started summon some sort of fire attack to use against her. It was when she felt the burning sensation behind her that let her know she was done for, but then the ground opened up and had caused her to fall out of the way of the attack.

Kagome started back down the path to the bone eaters well when she heard her name being called.

"Kagome"

It was a whisper so soft that she questioned if she actually heard it. She couldn't be for certain if she was alone or not so she stopped in her track and looked around her. Her eyes quickly skimmed through the trees looking for any signs of life. The nights shadows made everything seem ominous. She was out in the open while whoever was there was hidden somewhere behind one of the trees.

The voice was familiar, but she couldn't put two and two together to make out who it belonged to. 'I have to keep going!' She did all but yell at herself for stopping. It could only end badly on her part if she didn't find shelter. She didn't know who was calling out to her and at that moment she didn't care to find out. All she wanted was to be surrounded by her friends. A smile spread across her features when she thought of a certain hanyou that would be most displeased by not only her absence, but by her carelessness. At that moment, she would have given her left arm just to hear his voice.

'wait for me guys. I'll be there soon.' She hoped, as she limped her way through the forest one more time.

* * *

If you don't mind, please leave a review for me. I haven't written in a long time and this is a long shot from being through, but I would love to hear what you think about it thus far. Both good and bad comments are welcome. I look at them to help me fix my errors and move to become a better writer. Slowly but surely, this story will be done but it means nothing if no one takes the time to read and review it. Thank you guys for your time and I hope you enjoy! :D

-Lena


	2. Chapter 2: Remembrance

I know it's taking me some time to post on this chapter but I will eventually get it finished and move on with to the next. Work and being ill have a tendency to get in the way. But It's getting there!

-Lena

* * *

Chapter 2: Remembrance

'Father'

A whispered cry escaped her lips. The bloody body of a man she once knew was strung outside of the Higurashi shrine. A war had somehow found its way into her families home. Her father, the head of the house and their protector had lost his life protecting his wife and youngest child. It was a vicious sight to take in. Her father had been torn to shreds before her very eyes, leaving her frozen in place.

Her mother had locked Sota in the bathroom alone. Told him to remain quiet and to be calm as she went to assist her husband at the front gate. "Where's the girl, Woman?" A soldier grabbed her on her way out of the house."THERE"S NO ONE HERE! Please, just leave us alone!" The mother cried out in fear. "We know she's here! You hid her, didn't you?!" Another soldier came from the side, pushing her against the wall with such force. " **WHERE IS SHE**?!" The men growled. One man was in the process of striking her across her face when a little girl around the age of seven dropped down out of the sacred tree. "Mom?!"

The woman looked back to the direction of where the voice came from. Her daughter, the one she was trying so desperately to protect came flying through the courtyard to where she was standing. "No! Go back Kago-

"Before she was able to finish her sentence, one of the soldiers removed his sword from its sheath and stabbed her in the waist of her slender body. Little droplets of blood trickled down to the ground while she stood hunched over, slowly going limp in the mans arms.

"Shush now little puppet. Your job here is done." He laid her body down gently before turning his attention to the daughter of the young maiden.

'Mom..."

"Listen here little girl," He edged closer to her, "You're coming with me whether you want to or not."

Tears streamed down the little girls face as she looked up towards the sky, with the word God formed on her lips. She knew that her time here had come to an end but she simply could not accept it. Not with her father gone and her mother laying in a pool of her own blood. It seemed as though time had stopped. Within that very moment, nothing seemed to be real. Not the death of her father nor her mother and not when she felt the steel of the shackles being placed around her wrist.

'No' her thoughts screamed. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. So much blood was shed on her behalf. What was so special about this one person that they had to go to such drastic measures?

"Ka...go..me!" her mothers struggled cries did not go unnoticed. Behind them stood a bloodied woman holding a bow with an arrow aimed directly to the soldier who had held on to the child. "You will NOT have HER!"

There was no time to react. Kagome's mother let the arrow fly, knowing good and well that it would hit her desired target. Within an instant, the man in front of her had fallen. Now only one remained.

He lunged for her, striking the ground with his sword, barely missing the woman before him. "You will die you treacherous _wench_!" Her mother managed to maneuver out of the way of each swing.

"I have to do something!" Kagome felt her heart in her chest. What good was she if she just stood there watching from the side lines? Her mother was in need of help and she was determined to be the one to assist her.

Kagome ran towards the shrine's well house. She knew she was to never go in there on account that it had been dangerous, but now she was in danger of losing everyone she ever loved. Her hands trembled as she reached to pull open the sliding door. A cold wind escaped to the outside, causing the little girl to shiver. 'What can I do?' Kagome asked herself before making her way into the dark room. She didn't know what she was capable of, but whatever she was going to do needed to happen fast.

Kagome made her way through the shadows, feeling for anything that she could use. After searching for what seamed like an eternity, her hand brushed upon something or should I say, some _things_. On the far back wall she found more weapons than she could imagine. From bows, to knives and swords, Kagome was beyond herself as she stared in disbelief. She had never seen so many weapons in one place. She knew her that father spent more time than necessary out in the old well house, but had never questioned his reasons up until now. So many questions yet so little answers.

Not knowing what weapon to pick, Kagome let fate decide on which one to take. 'I hope I can use this' she thought to herself as she held out the sword in front of her. The blade looked as though it had been freshly sharpened and was in fine color of the blade was red and had a fine outline of black running around the edges. It was a simple sword but that's what made it so beautiful.

Suddenly Screams broke through out the shrine, breaking through Kagome's trance. Time was up. It was now or never if she was going to save her mother.

Kagome ran as fast as could, arriving at the scene to see the man standing above her mother with one boot placed firmly on her chest. Anger could be easily seen upon his face as he tightly gripped his sword in both of his hands, raising it above his head. Her mother had closed her eyes as she waited for that final blow, but to her to surprise, it never came. She dared to look up at her attacker to see that he was frozen in place.

'What?' Kagome's mother looked down to see a sharp object sticking through the pit of his stomach. Blood practically poured out of the wound, making her feel as though she was going to drown. A few moments later, the mans weight had lightened, followed by a loud thud as he made contact with the wooden floor.

"Kagome?" Her eyes couldn't stop staring at her daughter. Her once innocent little girl had tainted her hands for the likes of her. If only she could take everything back and make things right, but she knew that wishful thinking is what put her in this position in the first place.

The moment that Kagome was born, she knew there was something special about her daughter. At the time, she had no idea what it was but she could feel it. That purity that radiated off of her like the morning sun.

It wasn't until Kagome's fifth birthday that she started to see things. Kagome had been playing in the yard when a bird flew into the glass of their door. It didn't take an expert to tell you that the bird had died from the impact. Mrs. Higurashi attempted to walk towards Kagome, to tell her to stay away but the little girl had already retrieved the little bird in her hands. "No, Kagome. You could get sick! Put the dead thing down, NOW!" Kagome looked up at her mother with a bright smile. Mrs. Higurashi couldn't understand why her daughter was so happy and it concerned her. "PUT IT DOWN!" She repeated, grabbing the girls hands, prying them apart. Suddenly a small white light emitted from her daughters hands and to her amazement, the bird flew up and rested on Kagome's shoulder.

"How-" She began but was quickly interrupted by her daughter. "His spirit asked me to, mom." It was then that she knew that dangers would be around the corner. Everyone would want Kagome for her gift of healing and would do anything to get it.

This wasn't the first encounter they had, had with people trying to take away her daughter. The first time was an encounter with a strange young woman. She had tried to convince her husband to let her take Kagome to another shrine so she could have proper training. "A gift like that should not be wasted" was her reasoning. However, he had politely refused her offer and went about his day as if nothing had happened. It wasn't until this night that she regretted not grabbing her family and running far away. For if she had, maybe the strange woman wouldn't have sent out soldiers to kill everyone and take her daughter away...

"I'm sorry, Kagome." Her daughter saw the tears fall from the woman's face.

"Mom," It was a whisper so no one but her could here. " You will be okay." Kagome grabbed onto her mother, holding her into a tight embrace. "You'll be okay" She said through muffled tears and for the second time in her life, Mrs. Higurashi saw that white light.

Many years had passed since that troublesome day. And to Mrs, Higurashi, her daughter had no memory of what had happened. Her Father had passed on before the young girl could save him and that had broke her daughter. But now that Kagome had no memory to what had happened, she could alter the past.

To Kagome, her father had left for work related purposes and wouldn't be back for quite sometime. She allowed her daughter to believe that he was still alive, and doing well. From time to time, she would make a fake card and mail it so it seemed as though he was interested in their life. Oh how happy Kagome would be to read those letters! And as for Sota, there wasn't much explaining to do since he was far too young to remember that tragic day. The only one who would know, would be her. Kagome had never used her powers after that day, but her mother knew that they were still there. At least for now they had been placed at bay.

'My dearest daughter,' Kagome read. This was a personal letter intended for just her eyes.

' It has been many years since I last saw you. Today will mark your sixteenth birthday! My how the years have flown. I have written you to let you know that I think of you every day and I hope to get to see you again soon. However, This will be my last letter. I am going on a journey and will not be able to send out anymore for quite sometime. So, in this letter, I am sending you my love. Please take care my child.

-Your Father

Mr. Higurashi.'

" Oh, mom!" Kagome had ran to her mother with tears in her eyes. "What is it, Kagome?" Her daughter just stood there, holding on to her mother for dear life.

"He's not going to send anymore letters!" Mrs. Higurashi tried her best to comfort her daughter. She knew the letter would break her daughters heart, but she couldn't afford to send out anymore letters. Every time she did, she risked being caught and didn't have a way to explain her actions. Besides, there was going to be a new man in her life one day and she had hoped that they believed him to be the one they called Father.

"You're father is a very busy man, Kagome. I know this is hard for both you and your brother Sota, but your father loves you very much and would never forget about you." Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes. She knew her mother was right, but this was too hard on the young girl. She needed her father now, more than ever.

Kagome had been having nightmares about his death. It was the same dream that played in her mind over and over for the past few years. She felt that she needed to warn him but never had the chance to do it. She wanted to write to him but he had never once sent her an address to respond to his letter. One night, Kagome had tried to tell her mother about the dream, but her mother told her it was nothing to be concerned about and simply waved it off. But Kagome knew in her heart that it had meant more than what her mother wanted to admit. So simply put, she had to deal with this on her own.

"Kagome, you should be going. You will be late for school!" Kagome looked up at the time. It was 7:15 am. It was a twenty minute walk from the shrine to her school and if she didn't leave soon, she would most definitely be late. "I love you mom! Got to go!" She said as she ran out the door.

"Buyo!" Came the little boys cry. Buyo was their pet cat and had a tendency to disappear at times. "Hey! What are you-" Kagome walked over to her little brother, who happened to be standing in front of the shrines well house.

"Nothing..." Came Sota's response. He was holding a bowl with cat food in it. "You know you're not supposed to play in there."

"I'm not! It's the cat!" Kagome stared at the forbidden door. What would she do if Buyo was in there? Would she go against her families wishes and fetch their beloved cat?

"Did he actually go down to the well?" Sota ignored her question as if it was obvious.

"Buyooo!" Sota called again. " I don't know where else he could be." Sota was on his knees now, not wanting to give up hope but also not wanting to get in trouble for disobeying orders.

"So, if he's in there, why don't you go get him?"

"Why do I have to be the one?" Sota replied.

"because you are the one looking for him!"

Scratching sounds could be heard from the other side of the door, making Sota go into a frenzy. "Something's in there sis!"

Kagome smarted off at him. "Duh! It's The cat!" Finally Kagome pushed the sliding door completely open and stepped into the well house. It was dark and eery. The scratching sounds only made it worse. With each passing step came the realization that the sound was coming from the well itself. The well had been closed off and had sacred soutra's placed upon every crevice. There was no way the cat had gotten in there!

Something loud crashed down beside Kagome, making her squeal. To her dismay, she was greeted with a fat purring creature.

"Buyo!" Kagome bent down to pick up the cat. Sota had been mocking her for the fact that she had been scared by Buyo. "Look who's talking?! Mr. Why do I have to go?" Kagome loved her little brother, even though he was very immature at times.

The scratching persisted a little while longer before a bright blue flash escape from the well.

"Sister! Behind you!"

Kagome could feel the presence of something other worldly. She wanted to run for her dear life but there was not enough time to act. Whatever was trapped in the well had latched on to her, dragging her into the unknown.

Feudal Era, Present day

Rays of light bounced off of the puddles of water while the morning sun came into view. The storm had cleared and the night was passing, allowing her to witness yet another beautiful day. There was a light breeze that brushed through her now tangled hair, making her feel more at peace. The birds had started to form in the trees around her, singing songs amonst one another before flying off to hunt for their breakfast.

''This is nice'' The young girl whispered, trying not to wake anyone up from their slumber.

"Kagome?" Too late. A softened voice came from behind. "What are you doing up?" A flash of silver could be seen out of the corner of her eye. "Inuyasha," she trailed off, inhaling the fresh air as she did so. She should have known he would standing guard to protect her from whatever might happen to come her way. However, the tension between them was still there, even after all that had happened. His words from their last fight still repeated in her head. She was helpless-useless! If she wasn't able to sense the jewel shards, she would have no place in his world. After last nights events, no one could tell her otherwise. She was alone for a short amount of time and had already found herself shaking hands with death. If it wasn't for Inuyasha and the others, she wouldn't have even found her way out of the forest. 'Why am I even here?'

Her mind kept racing. With the questions forming in her mind and the memories replaying like a broken record, she felt like she was losing herself. Even though her body told her that she desperately needed rest, her mind wouldn't allow her to do so. Everything felt like a bad dream that her mind made up, but her injuries confirmed that it really did happen.

Inuyasha took a seat next to the young miko; Concern clearly spread upon his face. Kagome had barely spoken to him since he found her in the forest. He had believed it was because she was still in shock from what had happened to her, but deep in his heart he felt that it was something more.

"Why won't you tell me, Kagome?" He watched her body tense up at his question. "I -I was so scared when I found you. You had lost so much blood that I could barely make out a heartbeat." Inuyasha's voice turned into a whisper. " I wasn't there for you, Kagome. I shouldn't have let you go. I should have followed you! I -" He stopped mid-sentence, feeling the weight of guilt crash upon him. Kagome watched his reaction, unsure of what she should do. She finally reached her hand out to him and gently placed it on his shoulder. He turned to look at her only to find himself lost in a sea of blue. He could stare at her eyes for days if that were possible. She always made him feel special and truly loved. But today was different. Where there was once happiness and hope, now reflected pain and defeat. Before Inuyasha could mention anything about it, she calmly spoke.

"I'm here, Inuyasha. The blame for this isn't on you." She used her other hand to motion towards her injuries as she continued. " Inuyasha, I can't tell you what happened because... it's nothing to worry about. I'm alive and I am safe, now." Her words were soft as she spoke to him but the meaning behind everything she said is what ate him alive. She was safe and he was grateful, but what she said without realizing it was that she wouldn't rely on him like she used to. She wouldn't tell him what had happened because she felt like she would only burden him with her problems. There was no denying the truth. Inuyasha's words affected her more than he had originally intended and now he had no way to take it back. 'I'm so sorry Kagome! I'm sorry for hurting you.'

Kagome broke his thoughts as she proceeded to get up and walk away. But before she could get a step off of the ground ,he grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her into his arms. She had so many bruises and so many bandages covering her body. He knew she had to be in pain, but she refused to show an ounce of it. She had become cold and distant which unfortunately reminded him of his once beloved kikyo. Everything she did, straight down to the tone in her voice screamed Kikyo and he wouldn't allow it to continue.

Inuyasha felt his body start to shake. Did she not know how he felt when she left him after that stupid argument? Did she not understand how devastated he was when he found her struggling to hold on to dear life? Why did she want to push him away? Was it because of what he said? He prayed that he hadn't gone too far this time. "Please Kagome, don't push me out like this.."

"Inuyasha..." She felt herself getting lost in his warm embrace. To her, it was the best place in the world. She loved him, but she knew he could never feel the same way about her. He had Kikyo in his life and to be honest, she was tired of fighting. Fighting for his love and affection, and fighting just to simply get along with him. She wouldn't let him in this time. She simply did not have the will to do it anymore. "I can't.. I have some things that I need to figure out on my own. Not you and not anyone can help me this time." With that. she pulled out of his embrace before glancing back at him one more time. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

He watched her make her way inside the hut where he knew she would eventually be greeted by their friends. She wasn't alone in this but refused to let anyone in. He didn't want to watch her struggle with her inner demons while he sat on the sidelines. But if that is what she demanded of him, then he would respect her wishes. At least to her it would seem that way. There was no way in hell that her protector would sit around and watch her wither away. He would help her without her knowing about it and when she finally came around, he would welcome her back with open arms.

"Kagome!" The young kitsune got up from the pallet he was laying on and ran to his beloved friend. "Kagome! I'm so glad you are okay!"

Kagome couldn't help but smile. Shippo always made her feel loved. "Easy Shippo! If you hug me too tight, I might just explode!" A small glimpse of fear could be seen in the young boys eyes. He didn't like the thought of his Kagome disappearing let alone the thought of her exploding from his grip. "I'm Sorry Kagome! Please Don't explode! I love you." Small tears started to form as he loosened his grip.

"It's okay Shippo! I'm just teasing you." She gave him one more quick hug before walking over to the others.

"Hey Sango! Miroku!"

"Kagome?" Sango cried out in surprise. "What are you doing up?!"

"I couldn't sleep. Last night keeps repeating itself in my head, making me feel so ...scared." Kagome looked away almost ashamed of her confession.

"Well, in any case just lay down in your bed and relax. Your wounds will take some time to heal."

"She's absolutely right, Lady Kagome. The severity of your condition is not one to play with." Miroku had wrapped his arm around her as he guided her towards her sleeping bag. "I'll never forgive myself if you died on my watch."

"Guys! I'm fine. It's not as bad as it looks"-

Miroku cut her off "Not as bad as it looks you say? Lady Kagome, You stopped breathing in Inuyasha's arms last can you are tell me that it's not as bad as it looks? We care a lot about you and would do anything for you, so just do us this one favor and rest. We need you alive and well because we can't bare to see you this way."

There was an awkward silence that lingered in the room. Kagome didn't know what to say. Her friends had never reacted this way before. Had she concerned them that much? She never meant to make them worry. But she never ever did to begin with. She was always such a burden. Always making the others stress over her well being. If she had only stayed away, then they wouldn't have been out all night hunting for her in that storm. They could have had their much needed rest and gone about their day. 'It can't be like this anymore.'

"I don't mean to be difficult." Kagome said as she slipped into her sleeping bag. " I know you were worried about me. I mean, how could you not be? I just want to say that I am sorry you guys...I just wish I was capable of so much more.." Kagome with held a tear from falling from her eye. She could only imagine what her friends went through to find her. They had sacrificed themselves just to see to her safety.

"Kagome" Sango walked towards the young girl, taking her place next to the monk. A brief silence filled the room before she proceeded to go on. "Do you not realize all that you do for us? You are not a burden. You are the light that keeps this group going. You are the hope for the future! You may not have demonic powers, a wind-tunnel in the palm of your hand or even the training to kill demons, but what you do have is a pure heart. You help feed us. You make sure our wounds heal and my favorite thing about you, besides your strong will to protect your friends is that you truly love us. You don't pass judgement on us! And even though we have no family, you make us feel like we are a family."

Kagome couldn't hold it in any longer. The tears just poured out of her eyes like two waterfalls. She needed to hear those words and she also needed to let out a good cry. There was so much going on in her life and she didn't know how to handle them. " Thank you" She managed to say in between the sobs. "What would I do with out you guys?"Miroku and Sango gave her a reassuring smile. They would always be there for her even if she never asked for them to be there. That's just the type of people they were. Especially when it came down to their loved ones.

Inuyasha couldn't find the energy to step away from the spot that the young Miko left him at. Afraid to lose whatever moment that they had had. It wasn't too long when he caught the scent of salt mixed with the soft sound a sobs. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that someone was crying and with his canine senses, he knew it was her. 'Kagome..' Why was she crying? That was a dumb question. Why wouldn't she be crying. She felt alone. She was scared and better yet, he hadn't treated her the greatest in the past. From day one, he had always been a jerk to her. He even refused to call her anything other than wench or some other rude name. Yet, she still sought out their friendship. She still wanted to be apart of his world even with him slipping off to see his beloved Kikyo. But she didn't know that everything had changed. His feelings towards Kikyo and his feelings towards her couldn't even be compared with one another. He had only known of one type of love until he met Kagome. Now that he had spent time with her, and she forced him to see the world through different eyes, he now had friends and they all accepted him with open arms.

Inuyasha's ears caught some of the conversation, but not enough to know what was going on in there. He thought he had heard Sango tell her that she wasn't a burden. Of course she wasn't a burden. She had saved his tail in more ways than one. Had she really believed that she did absolutely nothing?! Sure she got into some trouble here and there but who didn't? His ass was always in some kind of danger. Fortunately, he was strong enough to get out alive but that was all thanks to her. SHE made him strong.

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to talk to her and make her listen before he lost her forever.

"Kagome?" He began, hand still on the mat in front of the door.

Everyone turned to look at him, gesturing him to come in and visit with them and the young girl. He hesitated for a moment but eventually gave in.

Kagome turned to look in his general direction. "What is it, Inuyasha?"

He looked at her, eyes still unbelieving on how injured she was. "How can you believe such stupid things?!"

The girl was baffled. Had he come in here just to put her down again? She felt her anger boil. "EXCUSE _ME_?!"

"You mean to tell me out of all that we have been through and out of all the times you have saved all of us from our inevitable death, **YOU** still believe that you are a _burden_?!" He inched closer so she could see his eyes and see that he spoke the truth. " Kagome, you are what makes us who we are. We fight to protect you because you are worth protecting. I've never met another person with such a pure soul as yours. Even though you do cause a lot of problems with your Stubbornness, you still help us out in the end. So yes, a pain in the neck but also yes, a pain in the neck worth having."

Kagome couldn't help but feel herself smile. Inuyasha had slightly insulted her but with his own way had told her that she was needed. That he believed that she had value and felt that she was worth fighting for. Inside her chest, her heart sang a happy tune. "Thank you, Inuyasha."


End file.
